


New Contract

by Westward



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy, Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Aliens, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Mass Effect Fusion, Angst with a Happy Ending, Assassins & Hitmen, Canon-Typical Violence, Drell!Hanzo, Friendship, Gen, Light Angst, Overwatch is a Spectre program, Post-Fall of Overwatch, Quarian!Sombra, almost everyone is an alien oops
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-30
Updated: 2017-12-16
Packaged: 2018-11-06 16:26:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 16,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11039910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Westward/pseuds/Westward
Summary: "Got a new Contract for you." Sombra told him, her holographic form squinting her eyes in either suspicion or happiness. It was difficult to read Quarian expressions sometimes, and at this point Hanzo had given up trying. "Looks like we'll be working together on this one, Hanzo."Hanzo is a rogue Drell assassin, working independently for whatever job comes his way. Sombra is an agent of the Shadow Broker, who often acts as his employer. Somehow they're friends, even though Hanzo's sure she's going to shoot him in the back one of these days. Also, Mercy may or may not be their next target.





	1. Omega

It was there, deep in the bowels of Omega. Far away from the so called “night life” of the station, where Aria reigned on her throne with an iron grip. Where she kept the mercenary bands in line, where she somehow provided at least some form of order for those under her rule.

No, this district here was an old mining facility, which had been long abandoned centuries ago. From word of mouth, it was once a reliable Element Zero mining facility. But ulitmately the Eezo had dried up overnight, along with any commerce or order that had developed from it. Chaos had corrupted the place just as quickly, lasting for almost a decade before the Blood Pack ultimately reigned supreme. This district was their turf now, and had been for as long as anyone could remember.

The halls were stained dark with ancient blood, and most of the rooms in the facility were closed off, lost to the vacuum of space due to maintenance neglect. Sections and rooms that were habitable were now homes for hordes of Vorcha or cranky, paranoid Krogan that shot-gunned anyone on sight, not even caring of who their victim was. Varren ran wild here, the beasts completely feral, some even attacking their so called “handlers”.

Those who weren’t part of the mercenary group were subjected to their abuse, taking severe beatings or had their houses raided, money stolen in the name of protection. No one wanted to be here unless they had no other choice. Not even the most desperate of squatters dared find shelter in the creaking remains of the mining facility.

It was a perfect place to live, in Hanzo’s opinion. And he had done so for years now.

Deep within a scavenger’s tunnel, hidden behind electrical tubing and through a crawl space that most races couldn’t fit through, Hanzo lived in a hole in the ground. Perhaps it was a forgotten smuggling compartment, but Hanzo cared little for the place’s history. It was well heated and dry, the heating and air filtration systems just on the other side of the thick metal wall. There were no windows or weak points, and no other points of entry save for the small space he alone could fit through. It was perfect for the Drell.

It was small; some races would call it cramped and poorly lit. But it held enough space for all that remained of Hanzo’s belongings and the few personal items from his childhood on Kahje. Most items carried memories he couldn’t let go, even with his eidetic memory. The first pistol he trained with, corroded and unusable at this point. A holo of his old Hanar handler, the one he considered his father. And then a second holo of his younger brother, back when they were both young children with missing teeth.

Other than that there was a small weapon rack, holding an Incisor Rifle (freshly cleaned and loaded with a thermal clip) and a Carnifex Hand Cannon (cleaned but clearly less used). A small fridge, which was powered off; it held no food inside. And lastly, a small cot that was currently in use.

Time had no true meaning in space. While on Omega, the entire horizon was a sick brown hue, the lights of the towering buildings illuminating the hazy horizon. Outside the station hung the bleak void of space. Only Hanzo’s Omni-tool provided some sense of time. And when the Drell had retired to bed that night, the clock on his device had told him it was early morning. Far too early to get a decent sleep.

Even so, Hanzo was trying his hardest to get some rest, but was ultimately failing. Most nights, his memories followed him and turned his dreams into sour nightmares. On the worst nights, his eidetic memory would physically bring him to the past, to the worst days of his life, forcing him to relives things he wished he could forget. Hanzo could not remember the last time he had a good night’s rest. But this was his punishment, his burden to bear for his mistakes.

Fortunately for Hanzo, he was saved from another restless night when his Omni-tool suddenly activated.

His left arm was bathed in the warm orange light, lighting up the entire crawl space. It chattered at him, and Hanzo grunted as he woke with a start. Instantly he brought a hand to a fist, biotic energy travelling from his implant and down his arm. It took only a few blinks of his eyelids for Hanzo to realize that he had an incoming call, and that no one was attacking him. He rubbed at his face before rising from bed and dressing himself. A few seconds later and he was accepting the call.

For a split second, Hanzo’s Omni-tool powered down before flickering back to life, albeit purple in color. And then it quickly returned to its natural hue; if he had blinked Hanzo would have missed it. Projecting from the tool was a small, glitched out hologram of a Quarian woman from her chest up, her envirosuit the same purple of the hacked Omni-tool. Hanzo stared at the Quarian’s faceplate, noticing how her glowing eyes squinted at him almost suspiciously. But he knew better.

Hanzo grunted again before speaking up. “You must have some reason for waking me this early, Sombra.”

 _“Sorry to call you so soon, but we have a new contract for you, Mr. Shimada. Nothing major, just a little thorn in our side.”_ Sombra said, almost all business if it wasn’t for her free hand playing with a spent thermal clip. Sombra turned to look away from the call, as if quickly checking something. She looked distracted. _“It’s our usual fee, and plus some extra credits for you to purchase a new forged ID. We have reason to believe your old one has been compromised.”_

“Too early.” Hanzo stated with a yawn, yet his frown was still audible in his words. Hopefully the Quarian could tell how off put he was. Plus, he was _tired._ “And I’m not talking about the hour. I just finished a job for your people last week; C-Sec will be on high alert for the next month, at the bare minimum. Call back when it’s safer for me to travel.”

He was about to disconnect the call when Sombra let out a small, trivial laugh. It distracted him, but he still he gave her a glare meant as a warning. He held a finger hovering over the holographic _end call_ button, and he knew Sombra could see it. In response, she set down the thermal clip and typed on her Omni-tool.  Hanzo’s own Omni-tool dinged, receiving her message.

 _“Don’t lose faith in me just yet, Hanzo. I’m almost hurt.”_ Sombra teased. At this point Hanzo could tell the Quarian was smiling by the way her eyes squinted. _“This job’s not on the Citadel this time. My employers are not idiots; you should know this by now.”_

“Pray, tell me, where is it then?” Hanzo asked in a gruff manor.

_“Bativa District, Omega.”_

Hanzo knew that district. Eclipse territory, where most of the more wealthy and influential members of Omega lived. Even Aria had an apartment in the district, but from reports Hanzo knew she never spent any time there. It was the district with the best security on the entire station. Hanzo’s broken into the district over a dozen times already.

“Who’s the target?” Hanzo asked.

 _“Can’t say, even on this secured channel. My employers would have me skinned alive, as the humans say it.”_ Sombra said. She shuddered at the thought before continuing. _“I’ve sent you the dossier. If you choose to take the job, you’ll be paid by the end of the week.”_

“You seem awfully sure I’ll agree to the job.” Hanzo realized.

Sombra nodded. _“Read the files, you’ll know why.”_

And with that, Sombra disconnected the call. The holo was cut off, leaving only the faint orange glow that filled the small room. Before even thinking about the temptation, Hanzo returned to his cot, sitting on it and laying against the warm metal wall. He spent a few seconds weighing the pros and cons of the job. It wouldn’t matter, once he opened and read the attached files, the job would be considered his. Sombra’s secret organization tended to think that granting him access to such important details was the signing of an unspoken contract.

Perhaps Hanzo should get around to telling Sombra he knew she worked for the Shadow Broker.

A few more seconds passed, and then with a reluctant sigh Hanzo opened the dossier.

 

* * *

 

Alec Vincenzo, human male. Aged 46 with graying black hair and brown eyes. A father to two young girls, both under the age of 10. Their mother was unknown, and there was no record of her in the dossier Sombra forwarded; she was most likely already dead. Alec was the leader of a small but well established slaving ring that operated just outside of Aria’s borders. Despite being a human, he held a large amount of authority in Omega’s black markets, as well as the respect of the men and women under his thumb. He had his own ship, and employed enough men to be considered a private army.

This job was unusual from the sort Sombra hired him on for, but not unwelcomed. Most of his jobs tended to be off station, either eliminating rising politicians on a Homeworld or even on the Citadel. Sometimes he was even offered a job on those who sided against the Shadow Broker or Sombra’s other mysterious organization. It was unusual for Hanzo to be hired to take out a well established slaver, but he was far from complaining.

Hanzo deeply hated slavers, and for good reason. No wonder why Sombra was so convinced he’d take the job.

Hanzo slipped into the Bativa District easily enough, avoiding the guard checkpoints and Eclipse mercs who patrolled the streets. It was quite easy, considering Hanzo did so from climbing the outside panels of Omega.

It was Hanzo’s preferred mode of transportation throughout Omega. Plus, it helped against detection. Hanzo was experienced in this process, and it was easy to slip through one of Omega’s many defective airlocks. He had done so back at the derelict mining facility, and was now climbing his way to the top of the Bativa District. With a helmet and respirator on his head and his rifle on his back, he was quick to make his way through the vacuum of space. Hanzo had gone through this route multiple times already, doing reconnaissance for the job for the better part of the week. Hanzo knew his sure footing would take him to where he needed to go.

By the time he climbed his way into another airlock and hacked into its controls, it was late in the evening. Somehow Sombra had managed to hack into Alec’s personal terminal, snooping around until she secured his schedule for the next two weeks. Hanzo memorized the schedule, and he knew Alec Vincenzo was more than likely retiring for the night. He was spending one last night with his daughters before returning to his ship, where it would be almost impossible to eliminate him. It didn’t matter to Hanzo; he only needed a few minutes alone with him and the job would be complete.

Hanzo stuck to the shadows as he made his way through the Bativa District. Most of this time was spent climbing on the top of the buildings, between the cracks of metal and hunks of Omega’s asteroid casing, and then jumping effortlessly to the next roof.  The patrolling Eclipse mercenaries below were oblivious to his presence. He hoped to keep it that way.

Finally, he found one of the vantage points he had scoped out and selected. Sticking close to the rooftop, Hanzo readied his Incisor Rifle, getting it into place. Once Hanzo steadied the sniper rifle, he lay down beside it and unclipped a pair of binoculars from his belt. He held them to his eyes and stared at the apartment he was certain was Alec Vincenzo’s. There was still a light on inside, and he could see the glare of a television. He recognized the scene portrayed; someone was watching the latter half of _Fleet and Flotilla_.

At this Hanzo frowned. Someone was still awake, and it would make his job increasingly more difficult. He quickly and silently prayed to Arashu that it wasn’t one of the daughters. Hanzo may be an experienced assassin, but he still had enough integrity to not kill a child. He continued to frown as he stared down the binoculars, trying his best to determine who the viewer was.

After half an hour, he had no such luck. The movie ended, and the credits began to roll just before the light of the television went out. In the dark, Hanzo could see the vaguely human shape rise from their position on the couch and disappear further into the apartment. From here it looked too short to be the form of a full grown human man. Hanzo let out a short curse before placing the binoculars back on his belt and sitting up.

Luck was not with him tonight; he’d have to change to a new position.

Hanzo quickly placed the Incisor on his back before stealthily making his way across the roofs again. The Eclipse guards below were changing shifts, a long process that fortunately took a lot of concentration on their part. Hanzo managed to slip by them completely unnoticed before heading to his next vantage point.

Here Hanzo faced one of the larger bedrooms of the apartment. It was dimly lit, a blue ethereal glow radiating off of what appeared to be a miniature fish tank. Fish swam around, and the light from the tank appeared to not have an effect on the room’s sole occupant. With the added light, Hanzo was able to clearly see the outline of a human asleep in bed.

The covers were thrown astray, revealing the semi naked man that lay beneath them. From here Hanzo could see him snoring, deep in sleep. A foot was shaking slightly; he was dreaming. And next to his bed, on the table resting against a lamp, was a loaded pistol, make M-3 Predator, heavily modified and outfitted with Cryo Rounds.

This was Alec Vincenzo.

Hanzo frowned in determination as he replaced the binoculars on his belt. He settled against his rifle, lining up the sights until the dot rested against the man’s forehead. Without making a sound, Hanzo loaded the Incisor Rifle with special Disruptor rounds and then cocked the weapon. Hanzo had researched the apartment; the glass windows were reinforced, as were standard with most apartments in the Bativa District, but still not strong enough to withstand the 3 burst-fire shots of his Incisor Rifle.  But Hanzo would still have to consider the man’s personal shields. If luck was kind to him, the man would be dead before the second pull of Hanzo’s trigger.

Hanzo preferred a more painful ending for the bastard. But he had to push feelings aside for the sake of integrity.

A few more moments passed as Hanzo steadied his breath, leaning into his weapon. The world fell silent, and Omega seemed to fall into place. It was now or never. With one more exhale of his breath, Hanzo pulled the trigger.

And then without a second thought he pulled it again.

Two series of rapid shots pelted the air, breaking the uneasy silence around Hanzo. The apartment’s window cracked from the bullets before shattering into a hail of glass that rained down on the unsuspecting Eclipse mercenaries. They cried out in surprise and then snapped into action, starting to bark out orders over their radios. But Hanzo’s attention was still on the apartment. He remained still as he looked down the sights of his rifle.

He had seen the ripple of Alec Vincenzo’s shields, deflecting at least one of his bullets. But Hanzo had to make sure that his bullets had hit their mark. A few seconds passed as the air and debris settled, and Hanzo could clearly see the hole Alec sported right between his eyes. Blood was running down the bridge of his nose and over his mouth and chin, soaking the pristine white sheets below.

 _A little off center,_ Hanzo spared a moment to mentally critique himself, _but the man is as good as dead._

With that thought, Hanzo pulled the safety back on his weapon. He packed it away hastily, knowing full well that the Eclipse mercenaries below were trying their hardest to find the shooter. Time was of the essence now, and Hanzo had to evacuate the Bativa District before he was made. Anonymity was Hanzo’s greatest weapon, and he preferred to keep it that way.

By the time that the Elcipse soldiers made their ways to the roofs, Hanzo was already descending down the outside of the station, his thoughts already turning over the recent memories, all crystal clear in his mind. Another kill he’ll never forget, but also another he’ll never regret. And despite all this, he tried his hardest not to think about the two girls he just orphanized. He was sure by now they were crying over their father’s corpse.

A knot formed in Hanzo’s gut, and he was sure that in time he’d come to regret this kill after all.

 

* * *

 

Two days later, once the Eclipse mercenaries had given up and stopped scouring for the assassin, Hanzo went to the meeting location Sombra had forwarded to him. It looked like this time Sombra wanted to meet him in person, which surprised Hanzo. In all the years that the two had worked together, Sombra had only met with him in person twice, preferring the safety of talking through a computer screen.

It was in Afterlife, of all places. Hanzo detested the place; it was too well known and far too conspicuous for a Drell. But it was also conspicuous for a lone Quarian as well.

Hopefully Aria and her goons wouldn’t be too nosy that night.

The Elcor bouncer at the front door barely paid any attention to Hanzo when he first arrived, motioning forward with only a passing glance. Sombra must have already tipped him off. Those who had been waiting in line for hours raised their voices in frustration, but both Hanzo and the bouncer ignored them. The door closed behind Hanzo, and their voices were lost over the steady thrum of Afterlife’s bass boosted music.

Hanzo entered the nightclub and spent a moment to take the place it. To the far wall stood Aria’s Guards, and Hanzo could only see the barest hint of the Asari’s blue head crest. The floor felt sticky under his shoes, and Hanzo hoped that it was only spilled alcohol. He would even settle for spilled blood. Most patrons were already drunk, dancing the night away. He could feel his heart thrum on beat with the music, feeling his blood press against his blue skin. Hanzo was not claustrophobic, but he hated large crowds.

Not only that, but his senses were completely overloaded. The lights were too bright, he couldn’t hear anything, and the whole place smelled like body odor. He hated being in places like this.

It reminded him too much of Genji.

Eventually Hanzo made his way towards the bar. He sat on a stool, ignoring the passed out Batarian next to him that was drooling on the countertop, and grunted at the Turian bartender. Without much thought Hanzo waved a hand for a drink. The Turian nodded in acknowledgment before pouring him a neon green liquid in a shot glass. Hanzo accepted the drink and automatically transferred him the correct amount of credits.

He took the shot in one fluid motion before pushing the glass forward, motioning for another glass. The bartender was all too happy to oblige.

Hanzo ended up drinking enough just to become buzzed. He didn’t need to be drunk during this transaction, and he knew Sombra would appreciate it. Knowing Sombra, she was already here, waiting in the shadows for the best opportunity to approach him. He just had to give her enough time to prepare herself.

Not much time passed before someone pushed the Batarian off of his stool with one heavy hand. The poor man didn’t even wake up as the offender took his spot. Hanzo glanced out of the corner of his eye to see a neon purple, slightly glowing envirosuit. The Quarian barely acknowledged him before turning to the bartender.

“Two glasses of Noverian Rum.” Sombra said to the bartender. “One dextro, one levo. On the rocks.”

“Coming right up, babe.” The Turian bartender said before giving Sombra a wink, which she deftly ignored.

The two sat in silence as the bartender readied the drinks. And once they were ready, Sombra picked them up in both hands before swiveling off the barstool. She looked back at Hanzo before beckoning him to follow. With a glare, Hanzo opened his Omni-tool and paid the Turian before getting up from his own seat.

Sombra led them down towards an open table and booth. Sombra easily slipped into her seat as she set the drinks down. Hanzo took a spot opposite of her and took the levo-based drink before the Quarian could even offer it. Hanzo spent the next moment glaring at Sombra.

“I hadn’t realized that I was paying for this meeting.” Hanzo muttered as he sipped at the rum.

“Relax. You’re coming out tonight with more than just a few drinking credits.” Sombra said, somewhat teasingly. She quickly produced a straw from one of her pockets and started nursing her own drink. “I’ve forgotten how much you need to loosen up, Hanzo.”

“And you’ve also forgotten that I kill people for a living; I do not need to ‘loosen up’.” Hanzo said with an impatient sigh.

With that, Sombra shrugged. “Eh, to each their own.”

And they sat in silence. For a while Hanzo waited for the eventual transfer of credits he was owed. He had already prepared a dummy account for tonight, which would house the several dozen thousand of credits until they could be transferred into another, more secured account at a later date. But the minutes passed by, and he was soon finished with his drink. And Sombra had yet to move a muscle.

She was staring intently at him, only twitching her fingers in sync with the booming club music. It was incredibly hard to read a Quarian’s expression, but Hanzo was experienced enough with working for Sombra to see the small smirk behind the foggy purple glass. A chill travelled up his spine; something was wrong.

“What is the meaning of this? Usually we conduct our business in a more… private location.” Hanzo asked quietly, his words almost lost to the thrumming bass, unease growing within him. He then demanded, “Tell me what is going on.”

“My employers are impressed with how you’ve been handling our contracts. Very impressed.” Sombra said, betraying no emotion. “They’ve asked me to arrange this meeting for their own reasons.”

A massive warning flag was waving around in Hanzo’s mind. He stiffened, fighting the urge to look at his surroundings. It took him no time to realize that they were being watched, most likely under the scope of a long range weapon. And there was no doubt in Hanzo’s mind that some of these patrons were not just drunk partygoers. He could already count how many were armed.

“I’ve done what you’ve ask of me.” Hanzo said stiffly, fighting the urge to fidget in place, to reach for the pistol he had concealed under his clothing. He would hate to have to kill Sombra. “If you’re employers think I am willing to betray them, they are wrong.”

“No, Hanzo. It’s nothing like that. It’s exactly what I said: I’m impressed. _We’re_ impressed.” Sombra said, completely nonchalant. And she looked like it. Even with her faceplate on Hanzo could see that the Quarian was grinning. “I never doubted you for a second, Hanzo, but this is one of your cleanest kills. My higher ups seem to agree with me.”

“If they are truly impressed, then they ought to know that I won’t take another job until everything quiets down.” Hanzo retorted. He was trying his hardest to appear calm and collected despite his instincts screaming at him to run. And then he continued, trying his hardest to imply a double meaning. “Too many deaths will draw someone’s attention. Even they must know that.”

And at this, Hanzo couldn’t help but turn around and look at his surroundings. He took in each person, trying his best to determine which were undercover, covertly listening in to their conversation. His eyes skimmed the horizon, scoping out for any vantage points a sniper would have set up in. Hanzo frowned; _there_ , in the far corner between a few loose panels, the long barrel of a rifle. Even at a quick first glance Hanzo could recognize the make: M-98, Black Widow. A powerful gun that only a few have mastered. It would cut through his shields like butter, killing him instantly.

Hanzo turned back to look at Sombra, who was still grinning like a child. She knew he’d seen the sniper.

And then she said, adding her own double meaning, “Sometimes the benefits outweigh the risks, Hanzo.”

“Let me be the judge of that.”

At this Sombra sighed. She leaned forward in her seat. And for a moment, Hanzo could only guess that the Quarian was somehow disappointed in him. She let go of her drink, pushing it aside and accidentally spilling the remains of the alcohol.

“Hanzo. Listen to me.” Sombra started. “You’re a freelancer. Sometimes you take our contracts, sometimes you take others. This relationship between you and me,” at this point Sombra motioned to the air between them, “has been going on for almost two years now. My organization wants to make our friendship a bit more… professional.”

“So this is why you dragged me to Afterlife? You are offering me a job?” Hanzo asked. He spent a solid moment considering the invitation, but his thoughts kept falling back to the sniper that was most definitely trained on him. “Tell me, which organization are we talking about?”

“Ha! I knew there was a reason why I liked you, Hanzo.” Sombra said, chuckling. “You know more than you let on. That’s good; it’s something we have in common.”

“You still haven’t told me which organization yet.”

“Sadly, the Shadow Broker isn’t hiring at the moment. Even though we could always use more Drell in our numbers, what with your eidetic memory and such.”

“Sometimes it is more of a curse than a blessing, Sombra.”

“I’ll have to take your word on it.” Sombra said. “But again, I’m not here to talk about my ties with the Shadow Broker. I’m here to offer you a job. A mutual, beneficial relationship.  With a crew that’d be willing to have your back if you say yes.”

“This is not a decision I can make here, of all places.” Hanzo stated. And at this point Hanzo defiantly stared at the sniper, glaring at their hidden face. “And you and your employers are fools if they think they can manipulate me into giving them an answer they want.”

“Relax. We don’t need an answer right now. But some of us are impatient bastards, and won’t wait forever.” Sombra said, playfully motioning behind her and back at the sniper. She then raised her hand, activating her Omni-tool. After typing on the holographic interface, she successfully transferred the credits. Just to make sure, Hanzo raised his own Omni-tool to check his dummy account. “Until then, this will tide you over. I’ll call you when we need your services again.”

Hanzo bowed slightly in thanks, but was not hesitant to show his irritation. As much as he needed the credits, too many deaths in similar style would draw attention. The last thing he needed was a Spectre on his tail. And he was still too unsure about this shadow organization.

Sombra stood up from her seat. Without further adieu she started walking away, barely giving him a passing glance. She only stopped to say one last thing.

“Clock’s ticking, Hanzo. We’ll keep in touch.”

 

* * *

 

One month passed since the meeting with Sombra. Her shadow organization had not reached out to him since that tense meeting in Afterlife, and the comm line he usually shared with the Quarian had been offline since then. Hanzo could only guess that they had gone underground for the moment. And Hanzo was incredibly grateful for that, for he already knew the answer he would give Sombra. And it was not the one she was hoping for.

Hanzo wanted no part of a shadow organization, and he knew his distaste for them showed. Most times they were power hungry and corrupt to the core. They were willing to undermine the work of good governments for their own agenda, sometimes not caring about who they harmed in the process. Hanzo knew where he stood in the galaxy, and any shadow organization that needed the aid of an assassin like himself had no intention of doing good for the people.

And they were the reason why his brother was dead.

From past experience, Hanzo knew that Sombra’s people would not accept no for an answer, and so for the past month he’d been preparing for the fallout. Once they reach out to him, Hanzo would have to flee for his life, go underground himself with a completely new identity. His small hole in the ground was now completely barren save for his cot (which he was prepared to leave behind) and weapons (which he kept on his person at all times). By the time he left for his next contract, he would never return to this place.

The few belongings Hanzo couldn’t carry around with him were already in cold storage on Thessia, hidden underneath the outer layering of a weapon’s protective case. He had planted a few decoy storage locations on other worlds and a few orbital stations, hoping to send Sombra on a fruitless chase around Citadel space. The odds of fooling the Shadow Broker and his agents were not in his favor, but he had no other choice.

Almost everything was in place. Now all he had to worry about was getting forged documents, and he knew the right person for the job.

Hanzo made his way towards the central spire of Omega. It was one of the seediest parts of the station, but also the best place to go for business that demanded that no questions were asked. Hanzo kept to himself, ignoring the pair of Blood Pack Krogan that were aimlessly roaming the dirty streets, looking for anyone that looked easy for the picking. Ahead, a gang of Blue Suns mercs were hustling someone, a young Quarian on their Pilgrimage by the looks of it, and the poor kid was visibly upset.

Hanzo averted eye contact when he passed by. He had a meeting to attend to, and the Batarian who was waiting for him was not a patient man.

He hated meeting with the man. He had a nasty habit of swindling as much credits as he could with every meeting. And one of the Batarian’s many rules for business was no weapons allowed, which always made Hanzo nervous. Being unarmed was a recipe for disaster. It made his skin crawl with anxiety.

Eventually Hanzo found the correct spot: a noodle shop, some human cuisine that Hanzo never bothered to try. As he entered the store front, he was pleased to see that the place was practically barren. The only occupants seemed to be a middle-aged Human chef and a Turian patron wearing a thick, rust colored poncho that draped over worn out armor. From a brief glance Hanzo could see that the Turian was barefaced; a drifter, possibly a wanted outlaw.

The Turian was visibly drinking some form of alcohol, and he paid no attention to Hanzo when the Drell immediately headed back towards the “employees only” door. The chef only nodded in recognition before turning back to the food in his pan.

Hanzo activated the door, only to find that it hid a narrow staircase that led down into an undisclosed section of the building. He travelled down the dimly lit staircase and was eventually met with the smell of cigarette smoke. Hanzo fought off the urge to cough when he saw the source of the smoke, a Batarian known only as the Forger.

The Forger looked up from his cluttered desk when he heard Hanzo’s approach, still puffing away at the cigarette. When he recognized the Drell as Hanzo, the Batarian let out a toothy grin and a sharp bark of a laugh. Ah, so he was going to pretend that they were friends.

“Ha! Well if it isn’t the bastard himself.” The Forger said as he stood up from his desk. “Didn’t think I’d see you back so soon. Did you already burn through that new ID I made for you?”

The ID in question was the one Sombra had commissioned for him after his last contract. Hanzo frowned at the mention of it; it would do him no good in the coming days.

“I need a new one. One my shadow-inclined friend can’t know about.” Hanzo stated as he sat down in an open chair. He clapped his hands together and leaned forward, trying to maintain eye contact with the Forger. “Good enough to fool C-Sec. Good enough to make even the Shadow Broker pause.”

The Forger thought for a few seconds, bringing a hand up to scratch at his chin. His four beady eyes twitched from Hanzo and back towards his desk. He nodded stiffly before returning to his own chair. He quickly gathered the few loose papers and pushed them aside. He brought up his Omni-tool and began to fiddle around with it.

“Hmm… you Drell are not a common sight, even in Citadel Space. And your skin tone itself is rare even among your own people. Something like that is going to cost you extra.” The Forger stated.

“Do whatever you must. But it must be done.” Hanzo said.

Still, the Forger hesitated. “My work is some of the best in the field, but I don’t think I can fool the Shadow Broker. You might have more luck over on Illium. Those fancy Asari might ask more questions than me, but they have better recourses too.”

Hanzo was not happy to hear about that. He almost growled out, “I thought you were the best on Omega.”

“I _am_ the best on Omega. But I work with limited resources and you’re not my only client.” The Forger said. He then sighed. “Look, Drell. The best I can offer you is my standard, plus some additional securities. Now let’s start talking about options—”

Hanzo abruptly stood up from his seat, the metal chair squeaking against the floor. This caught the Batarian’s attention, and his Omni-tool flickered off for a few seconds. Hanzo glowered at the man, staring him down despite his small physique. Hanzo brought both fists down on the desk, rattling the small table lamp that stood in the corner.

“I will not take subpar documents! I need the best, no questions asked.” Hanzo demanded, his voice loud and rough with anger.

The Forger didn’t respond right away. He stared at Hanzo, almost dumbfounded by this show of force. Slowly, the Forger brought his extended hand down, letting it rest against the table. He puffed on his cigarette a few seconds more before bringing the hand up and pulling it from his mouth. He blew the smoke in Hanzo’s face, clearly showing the Drell he wasn’t intimidated.

Still Hanzo didn’t dare move a muscle. He was too proud to back down now.

Dawning realization unfolded on the Forger’s face. The corners of his mouth tugged into a slightly sadistic smile. He flicked the cigarette free of ashes before throwing the whole thing to the side. Suddenly Hanzo realized his rash mistake, and he mentally cursed at himself.

“You’re going to double cross her, aren’t you?” The Forger asked, despite already knowing the answer to the question.

“No questions asked.” Hanzo reiterated, anger still raw in his voice. “Or I’ll take my business elsewhere… perhaps on Illium.”

And to Hanzo’s surprise, the Forger chuckled.

“It’s funny how you think you have a choice.” The Forger threatened, still smiling at Hanzo as if they were old friends.

There was the click of a gun’s safety and Hanzo flinched. He stood completely still as the Forger brought his other hand up from under the table, holding a Carnifex Hand Canon. The gun had a silencer, and it was most definitely loaded. Slowly, Hanzo gritted his teeth and brought his hands up from the desk. He carefully held them up above his head, both open palmed. He took a small step back, glaring at the Forger with righteous fury.

“Never get on my bad side, Drell. People tend of disappear when that happens.” The Forger commented. He motioned to the chair beside Hanzo with his gun, and smiled again. “I’m willing to forgive your little lapse of judgment, but only because there’s credits to be made here. Now sit, we’ve got business to conduct.”

Silently, Hanzo sat down. Both hands were still held up. Hanzo was practically seething in his seat.

“Now. You’re going to get the standard package deal. Like I said, it’ll be enough to fool C-Sec.” The Forger continued, still aiming the gun at Hanzo’s head. “Now usually this would run for around 20,000 credits. But since you pulled that little stunt, _plus_ I know your plan to skip out on our dear friend Sombra, the fee’s going to come up around… oh I don’t know, 80,000?”

“You’re insane if you think I’ll pay you that price.” Hanzo muttered.

“No, I’m smart. You’re buying my silence, for as long as I’m willing to hold it. And I’ve got loose lips.” The Forger retorted with a toothy grin. And as if to prove his point, the Forger shot the wall behind Hanzo, missing his head by about half a foot. Hanzo couldn’t help but flinch and the Forger smiled sadistically from his reaction. “Admit it, Drell. I’ve got you right where I want you.”

Hanzo refused to speak, instead settling on glowering at the Batarian. The Forger was still grinning like a madman, but now returned his attention to his Omni-tool. A few minutes passed in this awkward silence, the gun still pointed at Hanzo’s head. Hanzo’s eyes were glued to the elongated barrel of the weapon.

Even in the silence, Hanzo’s mind was quickly working on plans and escape routes to get out of this situation. Already Hanzo had 5 different possible routes out of the noodle shop planned; it all hinged on how the Forager would react. But the Batarian was predictable. And Hanzo was not; he wouldn’t have survived this long in the field if he didn’t keep a few surprises under his sleeve.

It was just a shame that the Forger would have to die by his hands. Not that Hanzo would regret it.

His eyes still on the barrel of the gun, Hanzo began to chuckle. The Forger looked up from his work in surprise, his arm growing in slack. There was confusion in his beady eyes, but also a hint of fear.

“What’s so funny, Drell?” The Forger asked cautiously.

And at this, Hanzo smirked. “It’s funny. How you think you have a choice.”

Instantly, both of Hanzo’s hands began to glow as he pulled at the biotic field surrounding them. Bathed in the bright blue light of biotic energy, Hanzo shot forward. Grabbing the Forger’s extended arm and knocking the gun to the side. He acted just in time, for the Forager had miserably attempted to shoot him. Hanzo extended a Throw. The powerful wave of energy knocked the Forger off his feet and back into the metal wall. The Forager cried out in a mixture of pain and surprise before realizing he had the wind knock out of him. And, Hanzo noticed, he had dropped the Carnifex without even realizing it.

In one fluid motion, Hanzo vaulted over the tiny desk. As he stuck the landing, he grabbed at the gasping Batarian, picking him up by the neck. Drell were surprisingly strong for their stature, and Hanzo intended to use this strength to his full potential. Hanzo raised the Forger up off the ground, pushing him against the wall as the other man clawed at his neck. Choking noises filled the air.

Hanzo glared furiously at the Forager as he prepared another biotic attack with his free hand. He could see the ethereal glow that encased his hand in the Batarian’s black eyes.

“You’re a biotic?!” The Forger managed to exclaim in fear between short, ragged breaths.

“No questions asked.” Hanzo stated.

A Warp field encased the Forger, a small explosion of energy that instantaneously electrically charged the air around them. It wasn’t enough force to outright kill the man; Hanzo was too out of practice with his biotic abilities to do such a thing. But it did what he had intended: knocking the Batarian out.

The Forger stopped struggling under his grasp, and Hanzo let the man go. His unconscious body fell to the floor unceremoniously. Hanzo had no clue how long the man would be out for; time was of the essence now, and he had to act quickly.

Hanzo kneeled down and reached for the Batarian’s left arm, where he prodded and felt around the man’s flesh, looking for the small implant that held the matrixes for the Omni-tool. Once Hanzo managed to find it, he took the abandoned Carnifex and pressed the barrel of the gun against the skin. He pulled the trigger and felt the unconscious Batarian flinch from the sudden pain. The Omni-tool was destroyed; all evidence of Hanzo’s meeting here erased in an instant.

Hanzo wasted no time in pressing the barrel against the Forger’s forehead. Another pull of the trigger, and the man was no more.

Hanzo said no small prayer for the Forger, and he had no intention of doing so.

Hanzo took one small moment to take stock of the situation. He’d have to keep the gun and toss it once he was out of Omega’s orbit. Hanzo let out a disappointing sigh, just one more thing he’d have to worry about Sombra discovering. There was no other evidence of Hanzo being here, save for the chef and the Turian customer. The chef was most definitely an accomplice of the Forger; he would have to be eliminated. And the Turian would be just another unnecessary death on Hanzo’s part.

He would have to live with it.

Hanzo stealthily made his way back upstairs. Not wanting to be noticed by either of the two men upstairs, he kept to the shadows, pistol drawn. Once Hanzo heard the sound of noodles crackling in the pan, he stepped out of the shadows, pistol already trained at the chef. The chef barely had time to process the amount of danger he was in before Hanzo pulled the trigger.

The chef fell to the ground behind the counter, the pan in his hands clanging against the metal floor. There was the sound of a death rattle, and then Hanzo turned his attention to the Turian.

And he was surprised to see that the Turian was unconcerned about this chain of events. The Turian just sat there, nursing his drink, only giving Hanzo a passing glance before turning back around. They made the briefest of eye contact, and that was enough to make Hanzo lower his weapon in surprise.

“You might as well save the bullet.” The Turian stated before downing the rest of his drink in one shot. He then pulled a cigar from somewhere on his person and lit it carefully. He took a small puff before adding. “I’m already a dead man.”

Not wanting to argue, Hanzo moved from his spot, circling around the Turian. Both his hands held the Carnifex in case the Turian decided to do something incredibly stupid. Slowly Hanzo made his way towards the shop’s entrance. Hanzo’s fight or flight response was finally deciding to swing the other way. He had to leave Omega, _now_.

“You saw _nothing_.” Hanzo threatened the Turian. He didn’t even bother adding the ‘or else’. And by the gods, Hanzo couldn’t believe he was actually sparing a witness.

“I wasn’t even here.” The Turian supplemented, stiffly nodding his head in acknowledgment.

Hanzo nodded himself before bolting out of the shop.


	2. Chapter 2

In a surprisingly turn of events, Hanzo had taken the Forger’s advice and had booked a one way trip to Illium during his escape from Omega. Earlier the past week, he’d found a place to squat deep in the poorer districts of the Capital of Nos Astra. The heat from the planet below was almost unbearable for most races, but Hanzo found that he liked the high temperatures. However, he could do without the large crowds.

It didn’t help that almost everyone here was Asari, and he stuck out like a sore thumb, the only Drell for miles around. Fortunately for him, most people here seemed to pay little to no attention to him, too busy doing semi-illicit trades and information broking. But even after this discovery, Hanzo found was still on edge.

It didn’t help when his Omni-tool pinged, alerting him to an incoming video message. There was no number ID attached to the caller, and that was the only hint he received that this was from his Quarian friend. Hanzo’s heart almost stopped, but he readied himself as he accepted the call.

 _“Word on the street is you’re off of Omega.”_   Sombra said as soon as Hanzo accepted the call. _“What gives?”_

Before answering, Hanzo took a look at his surroundings. Currently Hanzo was up in-between the rafters of a shaded park. He was too high up, and the noise from the bustling crowd below was almost covering up the sound of Sombra’s voice. No one for the past few hours had spotted him, so he knew he would be safe here for the duration of this call. Briefly Hanzo thought about showing Sombra the view, but then thought better of it.

“New contract.” Hanzo stiffly answered the Quarian, his voice low. “Someone wants a rival businessman dead on Illium. You’re interrupting an important reconnaissance mission.”

He was lying of course. No one had approached him for a job since Alec Vincenzo. In truth, Hanzo was just desperately searching for a reliable forger that would help him on such short notice. Most forgers he found were not experienced enough for what he needed, and he had horrible trouble guessing which of the more expensive ones were secretly working under the Shadow Broker’s paycheck.

And if Sombra was reaching out to him now, then that meant he was running out of time. She must have heard about the Forger’s untimely death by now. That left a poor taste in his mouth. Hanzo just hoped that Sombra had no inclination of what he had planned.

 _“Who’s the target? Nassana Dantius?”_ Sombra asked, tilting her head slightly in interest. _“People have wanted her dead for decades now. Except no one’s been stupid enough to take it.”_

“No, she’s not my target. And stop trying to guess. This is a breach of confidentiality.”

Sombra made a tsking noise, her tone of voice showing her disapproval. _“Doesn’t matter, sounds boring anyways. It also sounds like a low level job. You should just drop it.”_

“I have no intentions of 'dropping it’. I’ve got a reputation to upkeep.” Hanzo said, giving her holographic form a stern look. Really, who would want to hire an assassin that abandoned a job?

 _“You know, you wouldn’t have to worry about ruining your reputation if you joined my crew.”_ Sombra pointed out. _“Speaking of which, do you have your answer yet? Some of my higher ups are getting impatient.”_

Hanzo fought off the urge to swear under his breath. “No. Not yet, but soon.”

Sombra sighed, shaking her head. _“I can stall them for another week, but after that you need to give us an answer. And it better be the right one.”_

“I appreciate it, Sombra.” Hanzo said. And he was being sincere. Hanzo liked the Quarian woman; she’s been the only person he allowed close enough to warrant being called a friend in years. It’s a shame that, if given the opportunity, she’d probably try to kill him. “You’ll have my answer by then. Now, I’m fairly certain you weren’t calling to ask about my day.”

 _“You got that right. I’ve got a new contract, but I can see that you’re already busy.”_ Sombra pointed out

“Not necessarily. I wasn’t given a deadline on this one. My employer just wants their rival out of the way.” Hanzo said.

 _“Good, because this one needs to happen. Top Priority: the sooner the better.”_  Sombra said. _“You interested?”_

“How much are you able and willing to tell me?”

 _“It’s someone high up in the Citadel. We just managed to hack into their private terminal, and they’re scheduled to make a visit on Illium soon. They need to be out of the picture before my organization makes their next big move.”_ Sombra said. _“And since it seems you’re already on Illium, that saves us from paying for you travelling expenses.”_

“Name? Race? And how much are you willing to pay?”

 _“Ah… come on, Hanzo! Where’s the fun in telling you all the little details?”_ Sombra teased.

Hanzo thought for a brief moment before letting out a reluctant sigh. Somehow he knew he was going to regret this decision.

“Send me the dossier. I’ll look into it later tonight.”

 _“That’s the spirit! I’m sending you it right now.”_ Sombra said with a smile. And sure enough, a few seconds later Hanzo’s Omni-Tool informed him that he received a new private message. _“Read it over tonight, and I’ll join up with you by tomorrow.”_

“Wait, what?”

 _“Oh yeah. I forgot to mention that.”_ Sombra meekly added, as if she had just been caught lying. Somehow, she looked a little sheepish as well. And yet, Hanzo could swear he could see her eyes squint up in a grin from under her mask. _“I’ll be joining you on this mission; just to be sure we get our target. I hope you work well with a partner.”_

He did. Once.

Hanzo hesitated, trying his best not to show how nervous this turn of events made him. He grumbled out, “Very well. I’ll send you the address of my current hideout tomorrow.”

_“Much appreciated, Hanzo.”_

And with that, Sombra closed the link. Hanzo’s Omni-Tool automatically shut off, the orange glow surrounding him dissipating as the holographic interface flickered away. The noise from below lifted up in the air currents and he was brought back to the real world.

Hanzo spent a few seconds steadying his breathing. Calm. He needed to be calm.

Hanzo could keep up this charade over video chat. Talking with Sombra in real life was going to be a completely different challenge. Hanzo let out a long sigh in frustration, bringing both hands up to his temples, trying to massage them.

Damn.

* * *

 

Later that day, while in the safety of his hideout, Hanzo opened the dossiers.

 **_Name:_ ** _Angela Ziegler_

 **_Alias:_ ** _Valkyrie/Mercy_

 **_Race:_ ** _Asari, Salarian Father_

 **_Age:_ ** _350 Council years, born in Anessin, Thessia_

 **_Current Occupation:_ ** _Head of Medical Research for Huerta Memorial Hospital, Citadel Presidium_

_Angela Ziegler is a medical prodigy, having pushed forward the boundaries of scientific and medical advancement, changing much of what the galaxy has known in the short span of 200 years. Her most well known work was during her tenure with the Spectre Overwatch program the Council founded in 2146, in response to the growing aggravations of Geth insurgents. Her development of the Valkyrie Response suit propelled the response time of infield medics in active war zones, saving countless lives. Ziegler herself has been known to done a suit when out in the field._

_After the detonation and explosion of the **SSV Zürich** ’s drive core, Overwatch’s main battleship, and the termination of the experimental Spectre program in 2170, Ziegler moved on to private endeavors. For the past decade Ziegler has sought out to help many borderland colonies in the Attican Traverse, aiding them against periodic Geth invasions and Terminus pirating raids. Through Shadow Broker reports, it was discovered that her work is privately funded by the Citadel Council. Ziegler has close personal ties with all four members of the Council, especially with Councilor Tevos. Further inspection reports that Tevos was close with Ziegler’s mother._

_Ziegler often travels with a bodyguard, although whether this bodyguard is an advanced synthetic/Mech or a cybernetically enhanced being remains unknown at this time. The bodyguard has been proven to be a dangerous adversary, proceed with caution. See attached file below for more information about Ziegler’s bodyguard._

_Shadow Broker agents report that Angela Ziegler has scheduled an appointment with Nos Astra police about a recent disease outbreak in the southern districts of the city. Ziegler will arrive at Nos Astra on the 16 th at 19:00. The appointment is scheduled on the 17th at 13:45. Ziegler has booked a hotel room at **Parsella’s** , room 3018, and is planning to stay on planet for the remainder of the weekend. See below for theoretical routes Ziegler will take to meet with Nos Astra police:_

_:_

_:_

_:_

_Ziegler has some combat experience due to her time in the Overwatch program. Expect retaliation if she’s aware of the plot against her life._

**_Weapon of choice:_ ** _Systems Alliance issue M-5 Phalanx hand gun; Valkyrie Response suit with prototype Caduceus Staff._

 **_Wanted:_ ** _Dead._

 **_Payment upon Completion:_ ** _140,000 credits._

_By reading this document you’ve agreed to—_

Hanzo stopped reading; he already knew that the job was considered his.

Hanzo spent a few more minutes looking at the map attachments, committing them to memory. He’s already walked through most of the mentioned district even before Sombra contacted him, so he was familiar with the area. There were very few places to set up a good sniping position without being noticed by any overly observant civilians, but he’s worked in worse conditions before. The only problem would be that due to the short time restraint of when Ziegler would be out in the open, he’d have to pick and settle with what he had.

This bodyguard… Hanzo could only guess they would become a problem. He’d have to take them out beforehand, if possible. And hopefully the distraction wouldn’t ruin his shot, scaring Ziegler away. But perhaps this is why Sombra was joining him for this contract. Once the Quarian arrived, he’d have to go over multiple plans and fall backs with her. If she could handle the bodyguard, Hanzo could focus on taking out Ziegler.

Hanzo’s curiosity peaked, and he decided to open up the attached dossier of the Asari’s bodyguard.

He was first met with a few short security camera clips and only 4 blurry pictures of a strange humanoid shape. They were encased entirely of white metal armor, synthetic muscles, and glowing green ports. The figure wore a faceplate not dissimilar from a Quarian’s, save for it consisting of almost all metal. The only other noticeable difference was the glowing green slit that must have covered the being’s eyes. The figure looked masculine in shape, similar to a Human or Batarian male, but that could have just been the chosen framework of the mech. It looked entirely alien… well, synthetically alien so to speak.

Hanzo started to read the dossier. And he felt his frown deepen.

 **_Name:_ ** _Unknown_

 **_Alias/Code Word:_ ** _Green Cyber_

 **_Race:_ ** _Speculated_

 **_Age:_ ** _Unknown, first recorded spotting on 2165_

 **_Current Occupation:_ ** _Bodyguard (?)/Weapon_

_The bodyguard of Angela Ziegler, Green Cyber is an anomaly for even the Shadow Broker and their agents. Almost no information exists on it, and for what does exist, it’s locked deep within the Citadel Archives, under enough pass codes and locks that still evades the Shadow Broker’s best hackers. Its origins remain an enigma._

_Due to the mysteriousness of Green Cyber, Shadow Broker agents can only speculate that the being is an advanced Artificial Intelligence that the Council secretly co-developed despite the strict law they themselves set to ban such research. Due to its close ties with the Asari Dr. Angela Ziegler, agents speculate she helped develop and construct Green Cyber. From reports, the being shows advanced Cognitive Skills and has free will._

_First recorded reports of Green Cyber, and the most publicly recognized reports as well, date back during the latter years of the Overwatch program, fighting with Council Spectres against invading Geth forces. At some point Green Cyber was considered an official member of the program. After the disbandment of Overwatch, Green Cyber is most often seen working with Dr. Ziegler on both private and public matters._

_The supposed AI has advanced martial training, and has proven to be an almost unstoppable, lethal force. Some agents have claimed Green Cyber to be an almost out of control weapon with fierce loyalty to its handler(s). With Overwatch disbanded, it is unknown who its handlers are now, save for Dr. Ziegler. Green Cyber could prove to be an invaluable asset if acquired correctly. Green Cyber is wanted by many organizations either for deconstruction and experimentation, or for acquisition of such a powerful weapon._

**_Warning_ ** _: Danger. Green Cyber has killed multiple Shadow Broker squadrons in the past. It has proven to show no hesitation for eliminating any threat to itself or Dr. Ziegler. Best recommended plan of action to neutralize target would be from afar. Proceed with extreme caution._

 **_Weapon of Choice:_ ** _M-4 Shuriken, heavily modified; Asari Commando Sword, Huntress class. Capable of performing limited biotic attacks, Vanguard training (possible prototype mass effect core inside Mech)._

 **_Wanted:_ ** _Captured alive, relatively undamaged. Eliminating target will void the contract._

 **_Payment upon Completion:_ ** _225,000 credits._

_By reading this document you’ve agreed to accept the contract including the person(s) within the attached files. Failure to comply may resort to blacklisting or, in extreme cases, loss of life and property. Happy Hunting._

Hanzo had to reread the dossier a couple more times for the words to settle in his mind. He frowned as he went back to the photos of this “Green Cyber”. This didn’t feel right. Whether it was the way it was worded or how vague and limited the details it held, something was off about this dossier. It was never a good sign when something was off about a dossier.

Hanzo’s had enough experience in his lifetime to know an altered contract when he saw one. And most times these contracts ended in a betrayal, with his employer trying to kill him too. To try and hide any evidence of their dark deed.

That only led to one conclusion.

Sombra’s organization already knew his answer.

She was probably going to kill him herself. That’s got to be the reason why she was joining him as backup. He had been a fool to accept her help so readily.

Hanzo fought the urge to let out a groan. Instead he settled for rubbing his face in a soothing manner. This was turning out to be an impossible situation. In the approaching days, someone was going to turn up dead with a bullet between their eyes. And it looked like the odds were not stacked in Hanzo’s favor.

How much of this contract was real? How much of it was a ploy? In the end, did it really even matter?

Hanzo ultimately decided was done thinking about it. He was too tired for this.

* * *

 

Sombra arrived late the next night, when the crowds outside were at their thinnest. She had bypassed Nos Astra’s immigration and visitation procedures, hacking her way into the city while the port authorities scrambled to determine what had fried their systems. By the time the systems were back online, Sombra was well into the heart of the city, following the instructions Hanzo had given her beforehand.

Hanzo’s temporary hideaway was a small business tower that was in the process of renovations. The bottom floors were completed and currently occupied, in use by whichever companies owned the floors. The upper levels however were stuck in a perpetual limbo. The owner of the tower had been found guilty of embezzling last year, and without the proper funds backing the project, the construction company had pulled out, leaving the tower as it was. Now the space was just a skeleton of metal frames and open windows. There was always a draft, it was freezing at night, and sweltering by midday.

Hanzo had been asleep at the time of Sombra’s arrival, trying to get as much sleep as he could. However, his dreams had other intentions. The nightmares that had haunted him back on Omega reared their ugly heads. Vivid, crystal clear memories of the worst mistake Hanzo had ever made were played before him. The emotions felt just as raw now as they had 10 years ago.

Unfortunately Sombra showed up at Hanzo’s hideout with any prior warning, and due to the instincts the Hanar had trained in him, he had awoken with a start. In his sleep depraved, dazed state he had almost shot the Quarian on sight.  It was a good thing that Sombra had just as quick reflexes.

After the adrenaline-pounding greeting, both quickly retired for the remainder of the night, promising to go over details for the plan first thing in the morning. It took Hanzo forever to fall back asleep, his paranoia whispering things his mind was all too ready to believe.

_Sombra’s going to kill me in my sleep._

Possibly, but how would that be different from killing him after the job was done? He was still of use to her and her people. No fool would let a tool go to waste.

_She knows I’m going to double-cross her._

No. Hanzo had been very careful, covering up all his tracks for the better part of the month. She may know his answer, but she doesn’t know he’s prepared for the fallout.

_She knows something I don’t._

Yes. She always did. This changed nothing.

In the end, Hanzo only gained a few more hours of restless sleep. When he finally climbed out of his makeshift bed, he knew he would not be at his best for the mission. It was only a small miracle that Drell didn’t usually show bags under their eyes. Perhaps Hanzo looked grumpier than normal, but he could just blame it on not being used to social interactions. That in itself was true enough.

Sombra was already awake, and had eaten breakfast as well if Hanzo judged the dextro-nutrient pouches that littered the far corner of the room. She was sitting on the ledge of an open window, swinging her legs out and against the outer walls of the building. In her hands she had a pair of high model binoculars, and she was staring down onto the streets below.

“Cool place you got here, Hanzo. Maybe you should stick around here for a little while longer, make it your main base of operations.” Sombra said as a greeting. She turned around enough to see him, only to frown behind her mask. “ _Keelah_ , you look like absolute shit.”

Apparently, despite the odds of Drell biology, Hanzo _did_ have bags under his eyes.

“I’m _fine_.” Hanzo said roughly. He ignored how his voice was croaky with lack of sleep, all the while he felt parched. Hopefully he wouldn’t have to keep insisting that he was okay for the remainder of the day. Instead Hanzo switched to a different topic. “How long have you been up?”

“Couple hours by now. I don’t need that much sleep.” Sombra explained. She paused for a second before adding. “Sometimes I think I’m more Salarian than Quarian.”

“If only we were all so lucky.” Hanzo grumbled to himself.

“I’ll remember not to rub it in next time.” Sombra said jokingly as she got up from her position on the window’s ledge.

The two made their way back towards the middle of the derelict room. Sombra patiently waited for Hanzo to have breakfast before they went into constructing their plans. He ate slowly, trying to ignore her presence for as long as possible. When he was finally done, Hanzo stood up to start the talks.

He started by giving Sombra a quick rundown of the area where Ziegler was supposed to travel through. And fortunately, luck was on their side for that segment of the plan.

“The most common mode of transportation on Illium is by shuttle or Skycar. Fortunately for us, the easiest and cheapest route from _Parsella’s_ to the police precinct is by a footbridge.” Hanzo said as he activated his Omni-Tool.

An orange holographic map suddenly appeared by their feet, showing a 3D rendition of this small portion of Nos Astra. Hanzo pointed to the footbridge he mentioned, running a finger down its length. Sombra crossed her arms, saying nothing as she took in the details. She nodded, hoping that Hanzo would continue on.

“It connects the Azura District and the Shi’ann District. It’s about 250 meters long, and it’s suspended above the mouth of the river below. _Parsella’s_ is located here, right by the beginning of the bridge in the Azura District.  The precinct is here.” At this, Hanzo pointed to the holographic image of a small building on the opposite side of the river. As he touched the holograph, the building began blinking yellow. “All in all, it’s about a 15 minute walk, 25 if Ziegler takes her time to take in the sights.”

“That’s more than enough time if we’re smart and quick enough.” Sombra added, nodding her head in admiration. She then frowned and pointed a finger at a spot just west of the precinct. “What’s this area over here? Are they clearing the place to build another skyscraper?”

“That’s a public park. I was there when you called me the other day. It’s covered and shaded, not the best place for a vantage point, but there’s enough room in the rafters if all else fails.” Hanzo answered, albeit somewhat hesitantly.

“It’s a good place for an ambush, that’s what it is.” Sombra stated, ever the opportunist. “But never mind that; that’ll be plan B. We’ll try your way first.”

Hanzo nodded. “I’ve already scoped out a few vantage points for me to set up in. Here, here, and… here. They’re all high up, and most civilians won’t be able to spot me. The problem is… it’s not going to be quick or easy to reposition between these spots.”

“I’ve got a solution for that.” Sombra said. And she quickly pulled something out from one of her pockets. Hanzo frowned when he eyed the object, a pair of keys. “I nabbed a Skycar on my way over here last night. It’s already been scrubbed and wiped off of any previous databanks. According to the extranet, it doesn’t exist. Consider it a loan.”

Sombra tossed the keys, and Hanzo caught it in one fluid motion. He studied the object for a few seconds before pocketing them. Hanzo nodded in thanks.

“My turn, now.” Sombra said, stepping right into the holographic map. It flickered slightly before settling back into place. “If you ask me, you should take this vantage point here.”

Sombra pointed at the last spot Hanzo had mentioned. It was over in the Shi’ann District, far above the other two points scoped out, right in a crack of a space on one of Nos Astra’s tallest buildings. Sombra activated her own Omni-Tool, and somehow she managed to enhance the quality of Hanzo’s 3D map.

“Looks like a small but open space, with no windows looking inwards and towards the roof. Plus, you can see both the footbridge and the entrance of the Precinct from here. The only blind spot is the park.” Sombra explained. “All in all, it’s perfect.”

“I’d agree, but the problem is that it’s a small crawl space.” Hanzo pointed out. “Only big enough for one of us.”

At this Sombra let out an exasperated sigh. She turned to look at him, swinging around so fast Hanzo was sure she got whiplash. Her glowing eyes behind the purple mask squinted in frustration.

“Hanzo, use that head of yours. Keelah! I’m not a sniper.” Sombra said, almost whining it out. “I do my best work out on the field.”

“So, where will you be?” Hanzo asked, still sounding unconvinced.

“I thought it was obvious. I’ll be tailing the target, giving you live information as the plan moves forward.” Sombra answered. “Plus, if something goes wrong, someone needs to take out that bodyguard before it does any real damage.”

“Yes, I have some concerns about this… bodyguard.”

“Don’t worry about him. If I can hack into his systems, it’ll be out of the battle before the fight even begins. You worry about Ziegler, I’ll worry about the bodyguard.”

“Very well. You seem… confident in your ability.”

“Of course I’m confident. I’m the best at what I do.”

“Boasting aside, what happens if we make ourselves known? When you’re unable to take out the bodyguard?” Hanzo pressed.

“Then I’ll need you at my side.” Sombra said with a shrug. “If things go wrong, I’m gonna need you down on the ground covering my back. That bodyguard’s killed a crap ton of Shadow Broker agents before, and I’m not going to give it the satisfaction of another tally on its kill count. But remember, don’t kill it. We need it—

“Alive. I’ve already read the dossier.” Hanzo said, cutting the Quarian off. He then added, “I’ve also noticed the bodyguard has a bigger price on its head than Dr. Ziegler.”

“Don’t be fooled, _Shimada_. Ziegler is our main target. The bodyguard is just an extra bonus.” Sombra explained, almost snapping at him angrily. She quickly caught her mistake and smoothed her body language back to indifference. “One of my bosses wants it bad, and he didn’t care to explain why. And whatever Gabe wants, I get for him.”

Hanzo spent a moment to think about what she just said. No matter how long her explanations were, Hanzo knew it was all a lie. The Drell knew the business they were dealing with, having been a part of it since he was an infant. No one puts a larger bounty on a secondary target. Who was Sombra trying to fool here?

And it didn’t help how Hanzo noticed she used “it” and “he” interchangeably. Hanzo’s gut couldn’t decide if this was just an accidental slip of the tongue, or if she accidentally knew more than she let on. And who was Gabe? Again, warning flags were waving in his brain. Everything about this mission was wrong. And wrong was dangerous. Still, he couldn’t let Sombra suspect that he was onto her.

“Understood. I’ll focus on eliminating Dr. Ziegler. Your main focus will be in disarming the bodyguard.”

“That’s the spirit. Now come over here, I got a little surprise for you.” Sombra said with a nod.

Hanzo almost didn’t follow her. He wasn’t one for surprises; they’ve proven hazardous in the past. But he elected to ignore his instincts right now and followed the Quarian over to the duffle bag she had brought with her. Sombra knelt down to rummage through the bag, searching for something through the few belongings she carried with her. Eventually Sombra found what she was looking for and stood back up.

Without speaking, Sombra pushed the device into his hand. Or rather, over his hand. Upon further inspection, Hanzo could see that the device was a bracelet of some sorts, constructed out of thin electrical tubing, wires, and even a small button that glowed red. Hanzo fought the urge to bring the bracelet closer to inspect it, and the greater urge to press the button.

“Don’t press it yet. It’s not activated.” Sombra informed him.

“What is this for? Keeping me in check?” Hanzo guessed.

“Nope, it’s not a tracker. It’s part of a Trans-locator. Something of my own design.” Sombra explained. “Here, look at this.”

Sombra extended her left hand out, and Hanzo could see that the Quarian’s envirosuit had its own bracelet welded into its metal forearm. Sombra spent the next minute rummaging through her bag again until she grabbed a device Hanzo was not familiar with. She swept her Omni-Tool over the devices surface, and it activated with a small chirp. Simultaneously, the glowing button on Sombra’s bracelet turned Green.

And, without further adieu, Sombra turned away and ran towards the open elevator shaft. She threw the device down the shaft, and it landed a few floors down.

And then, without any kind of warning, she jumped down the shaft as well.

“Wait, what are _you doing?!_ ” Hanzo cried out in a mixture of shock and dread, running after her.

He stopped at the ledge of the elevator shaft, searching for her body. And he watched in amazement when he saw her falling body suddenly digitalize and disappear, just in time to miss the bottom of the abandoned elevator shaft. He heard a sound not dissimilar to an Omni-Tool activating, and he watched as Sombra appeared before him, standing on the edge of the elevator shaft two floors below.

“Scared you, didn’t I?” Sombra teased, and Hanzo could see her smile even from where he was standing. She leaned against the arch of the elevator shaft as she continued to explain. “It’s one of my better inventions. Allows for semi-instantaneous teleportation, and neutralizes terminal velocity as an added bonus. It’s reusable, but needs time to recharge.”

“ _Never!_ Do. That. Again.” Hanzo demanded; he was too angry to say anything else.

“Ahhh, didn’t know you had that much of a heart, friend. Now watch out, I’m throwing this back up there.”

Sombra bent down and grabbed the Translocator. She threw it up towards Hanzo, and he dodged it just in time. It flew past him and hit the opposite wall. Once the device hit the ground, it chimed again. And suddenly, Sombra was standing before him. She turned around and bowed playfully before picking up the device.

“Now I don’t usually loan these out, but you’re gonna need one if things go south tomorrow.” Sombra said as she chucked the Trans-locator at him. “I’ve got a spare, but please remember to give it back once this is over.”

With a deflating sigh, Hanzo looked at the Trans-locator in his hands. “Unsurprisingly, you have more confidence in your toys than I do.”

And at that, Sombra let out a genuine laugh before patting Hanzo on the back. “Don’t worry so much, Hanzo. Everything is going to go according to plan. Just trust me.”

* * *

 

For the first part of the mission, everything had gone smoothly.

Before they had even left the hideout the next morning, both Hanzo and Sombra came to the decision to wear disguises, just in case things took a turn for the worse. Anonymity was something both hit-men considered a precious commodity. Due to the nature of this job, they’d need something to keep their identities secret if things went south.

Through her hacking prowess, Sombra had somehow masked the bright purple colors of her envirosuit, changing them to a dark grey. The vibrant, patterned fabric that covered her head and limbs were dulled to a solid color. And to top it all off, Sombra had risked her health in order to change out her purple mask for a one that was tinted dark red. The glow of her eyes was now eerily absent, and it unsettled Hanzo.

Hanzo changed out of his standard outfit as well. He was now wearing a military issued, Recon Class helmet that completely covered the entirety of his head. It would help him see through the glare of the rising sun’s light, and hinder the sound of the howling wind when he reached higher altitudes. There was no exposed skin on his part; even his fingers were gloved, despite how much Hanzo hated the claustrophobic feeling that gloves caused him. If someone had managed to spot him, they would have difficulty identifying him as a Drell, Human, or Batarian.

Hanzo had set up in his position before the break of dawn. The Skycar Sombra loaned him was parked on the roof of the tower, out of the line of sight from below. Hanzo’s Incisor rifle was locked and loaded, and Hanzo was leaning into the weapon. For the past few hours he had been watching the streets below through his rifle’s scope. 

Sombra was down there, somewhere out of sight. After comm. check she went radio silent. Hanzo didn’t doubt Sombra’s skills when it came to deception and covertness; she would stay out of sight for as long as she pleased. However he knew she would resurface as soon as their marks fell into play.

And so they waited. They waited patiently for over 3 hours.

Ziegler and her bodyguard had left _Parsella’s_ promptly on time, and had both chosen to take the footbridge over renting a Skycar, just as predicted. Hanzo spent a short moment to take in both the marks. Ziegler matched her profile picture, her skin a pale blue with dark speckled spots for facial markings that hugged her cheekbones, forehead, and crest, closely resembling the markings of some Salarians. In one hand she held a sleek white staff, and in the other a black briefcase. She wore the uniform of a military medic, the emblem of the Citadel Council displayed proudly on the left side of her chest. However, Hanzo could see the faint outline of her Valkyrie suit underneath the fabric.  He paused to consider this; were they expecting trouble?

And to Dr. Ziegler’s right was her bodyguard, the infamous Green Cyber. It wore the same armor from the photos on its dossier, albeit it was much more worn out. The metal was no longer polished, having lost its sheen, and scratches and dents were visible even from here. Perhaps it was in need of an upgrade, or perhaps Dr. Ziegler wasn’t keeping her plaything in good condition. Hanzo would take either option if that meant he had more of an advantage.

Hanzo watched their slow journey through the scope of his Incisor, keeping the dot just over Ziegler’s chest. Sombra went live, checking in through the communicator with a whisper. She started feeding Hanzo information through the secured radio channel. Hanzo watched as Sombra de-cloaked herself, digitalizing in the safety of a back alley. She then started tailing the two, keeping enough distance to not be too noticeable. The two marks were none the wiser.

That lasted for about 8 minutes. At most.

Shortly after making the halfway mark down the footbridge, Ziegler’s bodyguard started to act increasingly agitated. Not too much later, Hanzo watched as it reached out and grabbed Ziegler’s elbow, catching the Asari’s attention. The two froze mid step. Ziegler’s mouth was moving, her words unknown, and her eyes flashed briefly with a mixture of fear and worry.

“Something’s wrong.” Hanzo grunted into his radio. “The bodyguard is suspicious.”

“Don’t make a move yet. Wait for my signal.” Sombra ordered.

“I have a clear shot, Sombra.” Hanzo continued.

“ _Not yet_. I’m not in a good position to deal with the bodyguard.” Sombra said, her words sounding irritated to his ears. “I’ll _tell you_ when to take the shot.”

Hanzo grumbled to himself for a brief second before responding. “Understood.”

A few more moments passed as Hanzo watched Ziegler and Green Cyber converse. Sombra was ever growing closer to them.  If she didn’t slow down soon, she would end up passing them, a risky move that would almost certainly give her away.

And then, the bodyguard raised a single hand, stopping Zieger in the middle of her sentence. She instantly fell silent, staring at him as if her life depended on it. Green Cyper stood frozen for a few seconds, probably running a few internal probability programs. What in the name of the gods was it thinking?

And then (and this would haunt Hanzo for the rest of his life), it held up its masked head, turned towards the south, and stared straight at Hanzo’s position. Hanzo could have sworn they had shared eye contact.

Time sat still for a few stunned breaths. Hanzo found his hands were trembling.

And then the bodyguard raised its weapon.

Fortunately, it was a short ranged weapon to begin with. But the mere act of raising a submachine gun instantly caused widespread panic among the pedestrians around them. Through Sombra’s connection Hanzo could hear the screams of scared Asari and Hanzo watched them run off through his scope. Dr. Ziegler herself was fleeing the scene, her briefcase forgotten behind. Instead she was holding a pistol close to her as she ran towards the other end of the footbridge.

Sombra cursed over their connection, and then she went into action.

“Hanzo, keep an eye on Ziegler at all costs. If we lose her then it’s all over.” Sombra ordered. “And don’t take her out until I’ve dealt with the bodyguard.”

Hanzo watched through his scope as Sombra raised her own submachine gun and aimed it at Green Cyber. A flurry of bullets erupted from the weapon, the noise echoing through the radio connection. Green Cyber had managed to doge out of the way, knocking a civilian over in order to shield the Asari from Sombra’s wrath.

“You’ve got to be joking.” Hanzo muttered. If he had a clear shot, he should take it.

“That’s an _order_ , Hanzo. Don’t get too ambitious.” Sombra said before firing at the bodyguard again.

“Fine, you’ll have your wish. I’ll keep her dancing.” Hanzo finally relented.

And he _would_ make her dance. Hanzo didn’t spend a spare moment to steady the Incisor, aiming it towards Ziegler’s feet. He fired 3 rounds a few feet ahead of her, and he watched in a sort of sick satisfaction as Ziegler stumbled backwards, fully aware of how close she had been to death. Her eyes turned towards the horizon, searching for the gunman, before heading back towards Green Cyber.

Hanzo fired another 3 burst round again, and Ziegler just barely managed to miss them. He could see the Asari’s frustration that was poking through her fear. Hanzo didn’t know how much longer he could keep this up before Ziegler proved foolish and would press her luck.

After a few more close calls, Ziegler came to a decision. Instead of trying to hide or escape, Hanzo watched as the Asari rooted herself into place and then she called on her biotics. As she was swathed by bright blue energy, Ziegler pushed a small barrier around her. Hanzo grimaced in frustration at this development. He tested her barrier with a shot, and watched as the bullets shattered against the powerful biotic wall.

All the while, Sombra kept pace in her fight against Green Cyber. Hanzo did not focus on Sombra during her skirmish, yet he could hear her strained breaths. She swore something in Khelish that his translator couldn’t register, and this was followed by a grunt.

“Change of plans. Get down here Hanzo and cover me!” Sombra yelled through her communicator. “I’m pinned down!”

Hanzo wanted to shout in frustration. Damn Sombra, he had gotten a clear shot! Now this plan was quickly falling apart at the seams. Hanzo swung the Incisor’s strap over his shoulder and he quickly made his way towards the Skycar. The Skycar hummed to life as Hanzo quickly pulled up its holographic controls. With his car door still open, Hanzo steered the car down towards Illium’s streets. He chucked Sombra’s trans-locator out on the street below towards the footbridge, keeping a constant speed for the Skycar as it zoomed past.

He pulled the car into an alley far away, deciding to abandon it for the local authorities, knowing full well that they were already on high alert. Hanzo looked towards his wrist and saw the button was lit with green light, and with a reluctant sigh he pushed it.

Hanzo quickly learned that teleportation was not a pleasant experience. He almost lost his footing, but pushed that aside as he looked at his surroundings. There was the footbridge, and on it were Ziegler, Sombra, and Green Cyber. Hanzo frowned as he pulled out his Carnifex Hand Cannon and sprinted towards Ziegler.

The civilians that had foolishly hidden near the battleground screamed as they saw him approach, but Hanzo just shoved them out of the way. He watched as Ziegler’s eyes grew wide in slight fear, but she wore a determined frown in concentration, her biotics lighting up once again with more power. Her biotic barrier was going nowhere. But neither was she.

Hanzo could not risk this waiting game; time was not on their side. They had the authorities to worry about.

Hanzo focused his attention on Green Cyber. He fired a couple rounds at it, hoping that it would shift its focus on Hanzo. His bullets had been poorly aimed, and it missed the being entirely. But Hanzo had succeeded in startling it. Sombra took the opportunity and brought the butt of her gun against its head.

It had little effect, other than drawing its attention back on her. Green Cyber shrugged off the hit and grabbed Sombra’s arm in one fluid motion. It used its momentum and throw her off the footbridge and towards the river below. Before Hanzo could panic for her safety, he could see her disappear, having teleported somewhere safely.

With Sombra gone, Green Cyber lunged towards Hanzo. Its Asari Commando sword was ablaze with biotic energy, ready to strike him down. Hanzo ducked out of the way just in time, and as he rolled back into an upright position, he prepared for the second attack. Only, it never came. Instead, Green Cyber rushed towards Ziegler, who had finally released her biotic barrier. Together the two sprinted away, leaving Hanzo behind on the bridge. Hanzo readied his Carnifex again, determined not to let his marks escape.

Down the sights of the gun, Hanzo watched as Sombra rematerialized on the other side of the bridge, covering the two’s only escape route. She held her submachine gun in one hand, as well as another one of her strange devices in the other. At first glance Hanzo had thought that it was a grenade, and it seems that both Dr. Ziegler and Green Cyber thought so as well. The two froze in their tracks as they realized they were cornered.

Hanzo stood up from his position and slowly made his way towards them, making sure that his aim was steady enough to take the shot. It was clear Sombra wanted him to wait, but for whichever reason why, he did not know. Hanzo came to a halt once he was 15 feet away.

“I have a clear shot.” Hanzo whispered in his communicator. Sombra shook her head very slightly, and Hanzo was incredibly tempted just to shoot Ziegler just to get this done and over with. “Sombra. I have a shot. _Let me take it_.”

She ignored him.

“Now now, not so fast Dr. Ziegler.” Sombra yelled loud enough for Hanzo and the others to hear her. “Tell me, you’re a smart Asari. Do you have any idea what this is that I’m holding?”

_What in the gods was Sombra doing?_

Ziegler looked uncertain for a second before realizing that this hadn’t been a rhetorical question. With a glare, the Asari hesitantly answered.

“An Electro-magnetic Pulse.” Ziegler stated through gritted teeth. “From the looks of it, strong enough to send an entire block down for hours.”

“Circle gets the square! Good job doctor! So you’ll probably know what will happen to your little pet project over here.”  Sombra said almost teasingly, motioning towards Green Cyber with a tilt of her submachine gun. “Gee. I wonder how long he’ll survive without that all that tech keeping him alive?”

Hanzo watched as Ziegler risked a panicked look at Green Cyber. There was fear in her large eyes. But what Hanzo was more interested in was that this confirmed his suspicions: Sombra _had_ been withdrawing information about his marks. It mattered little for the moment, but meant that most of his fears were more than likely also correct.

“What. Do you want?” Ziegler angrily asked.

Hanzo growled into his communicator, keeping his voice low enough so only the Quarian could hear him. “Stop playing with them. The authorities will arrive at any moment. Let me take the shot.”

Sombra ignored him a second time. “What I want is for you to comply. If you give me what I want then I’ll leave. You can go on your way, with your life intact.”

“Your hired gunman over here says otherwise.” Ziegler stated, not bothering to turn towards Hanzo.

“He’s insurance. Nothing more.” Sombra said, and Hanzo could almost hear the smirk in her voice. Just another of her many lies. “Now, are you willing to comply?”

Ziegler looked completely defeated. She let out a short, breathless sigh before nodding her head. But before she could speak up, Green Cyber grabbed her forearm again and took a step forward, seemingly as if to place himself in the line of fire.

“We will do no such thing!” Green Cyber shouted, his synthetic voice filled with anger.  His hand hovered just a few inches over the hilt of his sword, fingers itching to grasp it. “Stand aside and let us pass.”

“Tsk tsk. Too bad. And I thought we were working so well together.” Sombra pouted as she shook her head.

She pressed down on the EMP device and hurled it towards the two. Hanzo watched it arch through the air, and then watched as it was encased in the glowing blue of biotics. Hanzo prepared to shoot at Ziegler, thinking that she was the source, but instead found that it was Green Cyber.

Green Cyber’s left hand was incased in the blue glow of biotics, and then Green Cyber swung that hand in a large arc towards the river. The EMP followed the arc and hurdled its way towards the water below, plunging into the dark depths. There was a small burst from down below, sending a small tingle of electricity crawling through Hanzo’s skin, but otherwise proved ineffective.

Hanzo finally lost his temper. He shouted into his communicator, “Damn your games, Sombra. I’m taking the shot!”

The Carnifex bucked in his hands as he fired a shot at Ziegler. Green cyber reacted with lightning fast speed. Hanzo watched in dismay as the bullet hit its mark, landing in Green Cyber’s right shoulder. There was a visible electric burst as Green Cyber fell to one knee and grunted from the bullet wound. Hanzo took a few more steps closer, firing the Carnifex again and aiming it at the being’s back.

One bullet imbedded itself in Green Cyber’s leg, but nothing more. Ziegler swung around, her pistol now aimed at Hanzo. But before the Asari could fire at the assassin, Hanzo was tackled by a wall of righteous biotic fury, a scream of rage filling the air. Green Cyber had Charged at Hanzo, knocking him on his side and sending him sliding dangerously close towards the footbridge’s edge. The air was knocked out of him, and Hanzo gasped for air he couldn’t find.

A biotic Charge was nothing to scoff at; only a master in the Vanguard technique could pull it off successfully. And Green Cyber had done it with an injured leg. Suddenly this fight had gotten a lot more deadly.

Hanzo felt a kick to his side, and he grunted as he caught Green Cyber standing over him. The being reached for his sword, but Hanzo reacted quickly enough to swipe its feet from under him. Green Cyber fell on top of him, and the two struggled and fell into unarmed hand to hand combat.

From behind, Hanzo could hear gunfire, but was unsure whether that was from Sombra or Dr. Ziegler. His attention was entirely focused on the metal hands that were currently trying to strangle him to death. All of his efforts to kick Green Cyber off were proving fruitless.

Hanzo regretted doing this, but he was no good to himself dead. Hanzo grabbed at the biotic field around him and forced the cold blue energy onto Green Cyber. This had surprised Green Cyber, giving Hanzo the opportunity to Throw him off. Hanzo scrambled onto his feet, feeling exhausted after using his biotics. He found his gun a few feet behind him. It was a risky move, but Hanzo reached for his gun, intending to put Green Cyber down permanently.

Just as he scrambled for the Carnifex, horrible pain shot through his right bicep. Hanzo turned to see that Green Cyber had recovered, holding his now bloodied sword. Hanzo watched as dark red blood dripped down his wounded arm and onto the metallic footbridge. Hanzo bit down on his lip, trying to hold in the cry of pain. He now aimed the Carnifex with one hand firing at Green Cyber. His aim was off, his bullets not landing.

Green Cyber lunged forward, sword lighting with biotic energy. Hanzo stopped the sword from landing by blocking it with his Carnifex. The weapon cracked in his hands, the old thing far too beaten up to withstand the damage.

Hanzo tried his best to calm his panicked emotions, but he couldn’t stop but realize he was injured and unarmed. He was going to meet his end here. As a last ditch effort Hanzo called upon his biotics again and attempted to Throw Green Cyber again. But he was too weak to do any damage, and Green Cyber was quick to shrug off the biotic attack.

Green Cyber looked ready to strike Hanzo down. Hanzo, who was now too weak to fight back just gasped for air as he sunk to his knees. Green Cyber brought the hilt of the sword down on Hanzo’s head, and the Drell fell to his back, his head spinning. Hanzo watched as Green Cyber posed his sword, almost bringing it down to Hanzo’s chest, but then he paused.

Confused, Hanzo watched as Green Cyber looked up and towards Dr. Ziegler. Hanzo turned his head himself, only to see that Ziegler was now alone. There was no sight of Sombra. Ziegler was covered in red blood, If it had been purple, it would have been her own. Hanzo felt some small fear for Sombra’s safety, but he knew that she had escaped with her life.

They had failed.

Or this had been planned all along. Hanzo cursed at himself, fully believing that Sombra had set up a fake contract, as a way to ensure that Hanzo would be eliminated or incarcerated in the most efficient way possible.

With that thought, Hanzo accepted his fate. It would be better to die here than left to rot in a cell, interrogated for any information Citadel authorities could squeeze out from him. With a cough, he gained Green Cyber’s attention.

“Do it. Make it quick.” Hanzo goaded him.

Hanzo watched as Green Cyber stood perfectly still for a long moment, holding the sword to his covered throat. Then Hanzo watched as the sword began to tremble, and then Green Cyber pulled it away from his throat. Confusion grew in Hanzo, but he had lost all energy needed to attack from this small opportunity. He knew when he was beaten.

Hanzo closed his eyes, understanding that if they did not kill him, they would take him to prison. Perhaps there he would meet his death, for he had killed many important people in his lifetime.

Maybe he wouldn’t even make it to prison; he was losing too much blood much too quickly.

What Hanzo was not expecting was for Green Cyber to rip his mask off. Hanzo squinted from the bright Illium sunlight, fighting off the urge to cover his eyes with a hand. Hanzo noticed that Green Cyber was kneeling next to him, one hand holding his Recon Hood. This was quickly dropped as Green Cyber let out an audible gasp.

Green Cyber’s hands were on him in an instant, rough but not intentionally so. Hanzo grunted in pain, disoriented from blood loss and perhaps a concussion as well. As he was jostled, his vision grew blurry. Green Cyber was still in his line of view, and soon there was the blue head of Dr. Ziegler. Through the ringing of Hanzo’s ears, he could hear distant police sirens that were drawing ever closer.

His vision was fading, and soon he was floating in black space. If this was death, then at least it was peaceful. But it was not the endless Ocean Hanzo had prayed for. It did not surprise him that Kalahira would not grant him entry into the afterlife.

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a one-shot, but then I started having too much fun world building and it started get too big. So now I'm splitting it up into 2 or 3 chapters. The next chapter is almost complete.
> 
> Mass Effect and Overwatch are two of my favorite video games, and I've wanted to do a crossover-ish fic for them since Overwatch released last year. I haven't had experience in writing for both universes yet, so this proved to be a fun little challenge. And since Drell are my favorite Mass Effect race, and Hanzo's my favorite hero, it should've been obvious to me that this would be the end result. Quarian Sombra was just a fun little bonus.
> 
> Also I know that there's not a lot of in game interaction between Sombra and Hanzo (as in there's none oops), but I've always thought that the two would end up as sort of friend-enemies. They're close, but don't trust each other for shit.


End file.
